“Now is the time to take action. Don’t delay, Don’t hope something will change,” Jindal said.

Jindal said he has asked state officials to tell parish governments to begin notifying their residents in areas in the Atchafalaya River basin expected to be flooded to begin evacuations. Some parishes have told him that they will complete notifications of residents of evacuation plans in a few hours, while others will need up to 48 hours.

"They’ve still not officially made a decision on whether or when they will open the spillway, but the Corps of Engineers did tell me today that there are at 1.423 million cubic feet per second at Red River Landing and they are likely to get to 1.5 (million cubic feet) by tomorrow evening and they will operate that system so that they will not allow that flow to exceed 1.5 through the Baton Rouge area," Jindal said.

Jindal said his comments were based on a conversation with Maj. Gen. Michael Walsh, who is president of the Mississippi River Commission and senior commander of all corps district offices along the Mississippi. In that capacity, it is Walsh who will make the decision on opening the Morganza Floodway.

Walsh will hold a news conference in Vicksburg, Miss., at 1 p.m. today.

U.S. Sen. David Vitter, R-La., said he had a similar conversation with Walsh this morning, and also urged residents to begin evacuation preparations.

Jindal said he's already notified parish sheriffs to begin door-to-door notification of residents in areas expected to flood when the floodway is opened, and state agencies are moving equipment in place to block roads running through expected floodwaters.

"We've already notified the American Red Cross about making shelter spaces available" for evacuees, Jindal said.

Red Cross officials have 22 shelters with 4,758 cots available for evacuees, and local emergency officials have told the state that the expected need is for 3,850 evacuees, Jindal said. But he said tens of thousands of additional spaces would be available quickly, if more are needed.

Jindal said corps officials have told him they will open up the floodway slowly, over as many as four days, to provide adequate time for people to evacuate. Corps officials said a slow release also is necessary to allow wildlife to escape floodwaters, including dozens of endangered Louisiana black bears.

Jindal said it would take about three days for water to reach the southern part of the floodway, including Morgan City. The National Weather Service's Lower Mississippi River Forecast Center has predicted that the Atchafalaya River will crest at between 12 and 13 feet at Morgan City on May 23 if the floodway is opened. The previous record crest there, in 1973, was 10.6 feet.

Jindal said the corps also has promised to produce maps forecasting inundation levels within the floodway over five days during the high water period, which could last well into the summer.